uo5nVEtj9 wrote:
ko21 wrote:
I don't really care either way about disc brakes, but as has been mentioned in other threads, the whole disc debate is very similar to wheel size wars in mtb. Disc brakes are going to become a standard of some sort, probably not exclusive, but a large percentage of bikes manufactured in the future will have them. This stance by Trek reminds me of Specialized coming out saying they were totally against 27.5, stating it was not needed and their 29ers were so good they would never do it. I think the next year they started producing 27.5 bikes, and have a whole slew of them now. I predict Trek will reverse this in the very near future and say the exact opposite when they start losing market share.It feels more like 26 -> 29 -> 27.5, and 27.5 is still coming. And then 27.5+.
The switch to 29ers was supposed to make everyone faster; the switch to disc brakes is supposed to make everything safer. Can't you see it's better? It must be better. It's new. (don't forget mtb started on 650/27.5 decades ago -- it's not new.)
The wheel size thing is now "right wheel for purpose": fattie for snow, 29er for fast courses, 27.5 for DH, + for all mountain. That's what Trek is saying: "right brake for purpose."
This is an aside, but IMHO 650B is really all about people/companies not being able to admit that the move to 29" wheels wasn't the "be all and end all" it was purported to be. In reality, a "27.5" wheel isn't close to that size...hell, it's not even 27" in diameter. The radius difference (the geometry that matters) between a 26" rim and a 650B/27.5 rim is only 12mm...add on a thick, squishy tire and it's pretty obvious there's no practical difference to that wheel size or 26". But, we were all told 26" sucks, so there's no way they could go BACK to that size...so, let's just pick something in the middle...that's actually not really in the middle :-/
Edit: BTW 2, it's examples such as that of past obfuscation and chasing of "magic" gains, which happen to also encourage obsolescence of older equipment and force users to buy all new if they want the latest tech, is a big reason why a lot of consumers are highly skeptical of what's being fed to them at present.
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